Marriage Officiant & Certificate of Filing

517.04 Persons authorized to perform civil marriages

Civil marriages may be solemnized throughout the state by an individual who has attained the age of 21 years and is a judge of a court of record, a retired judge of a court of record, a court administrator, a retired court administrator with the approval of the chief judge of the judicial district, a former court commissioner who is employed by the court system or is acting pursuant to an order of the chief judge of the commissioner's judicial district, the residential school superintendent of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf and the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind, a licensed or ordained minister of any religious denomination, an individual who registers as a civil marriage officiant with a local registrant in a county of this state or by any mode recognized in section 517.18. For purposes of this section, a court of record includes the Office of Administrative Hearings under section 14.48.

517.05 Credentials of minister

Ministers of any religious denomination, before they are authorized to solemnize a civil marriage, shall file a copy of their credentials of license or ordination or, if their religious denomination does not issue credentials, authority from the minister's spiritual assembly, with the local registrar of a county in this state, who shall record the same and give a certificate of filing thereof. The place where the credentials are recorded shall be endorsed upon and recorded with each certificate of civil marriage granted by a minister.

Certificate of Filing

In person:

  • Need a valid government issued photo ID
  • Sign Certificate of Filing when present at the Recorder’s Office
  • Present credentials of license or ordination or letter of good standing if applicable (M.S. 517.05)
  • Filing Fee –$20

Rice County Recorder
320 Third St. NW
Faribault MN 55021

By mail:

  • Complete Certificate of Filing – signature will need to be notarized
  • Provide a copy of credentials of license or ordination or letter of good standing if applicable (M.S. 517.05)
  • Filing Fee – Check in the amount of $20 made payable to the Rice County Recorder

Rice County Recorder
320 Third St. NW
Faribault MN 55021